The top-seeded Newtown High School baseball team pounded out 16 hits on its way to an 11-2 triumph over No. 5 Notre Dame-Fairfield in the South-West Conference tournament semifinals, at neutral site Bethel High, on May 24.

With the win, the top-seeded Nighthawks will have a rematch with No. 3 Bethel, the team Newtown defeated in last year's pinnacle battle, in the championship contest. The final round of the tourney will also unfold at Bethel High, Friday May 25; first pitch is at 7 pm.

Ben Harrison had three hits and three runs batted in, and Todd Petersen, Josh Taylor, Luke Melillo, Jack Miller, and Michael Cotton had two hits apiece. Melillo and Miller each drove in two runs. Melillo tripled, and Eugene Citrano, Harrison, and Petersen all had triples.

Starting pitcher Orlando Swift went six shutout innings before surrendering two unearned runs in the seventh. Swift fanned 11 batters, allowed five hits, and walked three. Harry Lucas got the final three outs.

"They're going to be hungry, we want to win again. It's going to be fun," Swift said.

Although Newtown won last year's title game with ease, each of the last four regular-season clashes were decided in walk-off fashion.

"It's going to be a dog fight [Friday] night. It's going to be fun," Newtown Coach Ian Thoesen said.